Not the biggest of full backs around, but perception, skills and leadership qualities make Antrim No 3 Ciaran Hamill a class apart Ciaran Hamill knows he won't set the world on fire if he leads Antrim to victory over Wicklow in the All-Ireland B Final. But it would be a major step in the right direction for one of the so called weaker counties, and a significant breakthrough for a side which has been knocking on the door for a number of seasons now, writes Francis Mooney. Respectable League form, followed by the seemingly inevitable first round defeat in the Ulster Championship - it's a pattern to which Antrim followers have grown accustomed. However, success is just around the corner, and a little triumph is all that's needed to break the psychological barrier. And for Ciaran Hamill, the Saffron's effervescent captain, victory in the B Final would be the icing on the cake in what for him has been a wonderful season. Intermediate championship victory with his club Glenavy St. Josephs and the honour of being chosen as Antrim's Footballer of the Year have made him the man of the moment, and now it's all systems go for the affable 27 year old civil servant. At 5'11", he's not the biggest of full backs, but his perception, timing and reading of the game, combined with his inspirational leadership qualities, make him one of Ulster's finest defenders. It's those qualities of leadership which will be all-important in the All-Ireland final as Hamill leads his side to what he feels will be a watershed in Antrim football. "I'm very hopeful for the future. I think we have the players to go places as log as we can get them to work together with total commitment," he said. "At the moment the signs are good. The atmosphere, especially after winning the semi final, is good in the camp, and we intend to build on that. It's hard to pinpoint the reason for Antrim's lack of success in the past, but it's really a catch 22 situation - we haven't been successfully, therefore players tend not to be expectant of success and therefore sometimes do not put in the maximum effort. There were a few years when we did believe in ourselves and really did put in the effort, and I thought we were very unlucky not to achieve something. We just didn't get the breaks on the day." "You only get one chance in championship, and if your luck doesn't go with you on that one day, you're considered a failure. We have played relatively well in the league and we only lose one match each year in the championship, but that's enough to rank us with the also rans. But we genuinely feel we were unlucky on a number of occasions." A quick look at Antrim's recent Ulster Championship record shows just how close they have come to making the breakthrough. In 1985 they were desperately unlucky not to overturn Cavan in Breffni Park, and the following season the same opposition squeezed through again with a late goal. A year later Tyrone scored a late point to force a draw, before prevailing in the replay, and in 1989 Antrim shot an amazing 22 wides before going down to Monaghan by just three points. But there are signs that Antrim now possess the self belief which is vital in sudden death situations. The character shown in the side's semi final performance, when they defeated Fermanagh with a late point, pleased Ciaran Hamill immensely. "I was pleased with the way we kept plugging away. Whenever we were 10-6 down and they were coming at us, we just kept going, playing the game we had been coached to play. We had to go right to the end to win it, and we never at any stage gave up, even though we didn't play particularly well for most of the game. But the boys stuck at their game and never let the heads drop." Antrim's last gasp semi final victory at Irvinestown was one of the county's greatest triumphs, and it has landed the Saffrons in their first All-Ireland football final since the 1969 under 21 decider. The odds were stacked against Ciaran Hamill's men, for Fermanagh had beaten them in the Ulster Championship in each of the last two seasons. Now in the lion's den at St. Molais Park and pitted against a rejuvenated Fermanagh side fresh from a morale boasting National League victory over Tyrone, the Ernesiders were firm favourites. But Enda McAtamney and Donal Armstrong had not read the script. Centre half back Armstrong popped up to shoot a stunning goal and cool-as-ice McAtamney kept his composure to convert a crucial free in injury time to seal a famous victory and clinch a place in the All-Ireland final against Wicklow, narrow victors over Wexford. The fact that Antrim don't have a settled side doesn't worry Ciaran Hamill unduly. He feels there's a healthy competition for places which has been keeping everyone on their toes. "We have an enthusiastic panel of players with intense competition for places. There are about 25 players in the panel, and there's not a lot to choose between any of them." But he feels Donal Armstrong and Lenny Harbinson are certain to be key players in the final. "Donal Armstrong is a great player and one of the team's leaders at centre half back. And our two midfielders Pat O'Connor and Charlie McStravick are as good a partnership as any in the country at the moment. We'll be looking to them for a big game. Up front, Lenny Harbinson is a player we will be depending on - he's got a great football brain and he's one of our best ball winners. And if Enda McAtamney is on his game he could have a big contribution to make as well." There will be no shortage of match practice prior to the big game, for the Dubs are due in Casement Park just a week before the All-Ireland Final for a crucial National League game. "Meeting the likes of Dublin and Derry can only be good for us," said Hamill. "I'm looking forward to playing Dublin. We have no fear of them. We played Donegal last year in the League and held our own for 55 minutes of that game before losing by four points. We play the Dubs in Casement, and anyone who comes to Casement has to work hard for a result. Certainly, it will let us know how we're doing and where we are, and you can only get better by playing good teams." And unlike most players, who refuse to look further than the next game, Hamill is sticking his neck out with a confident prediction - an Antrim victory over All-Ireland champions Donegal in next June's Ulster Championship opener at Ballybofey. "We can beat them. No matter what Donegal or anybody says, it will be extremely hard for them not to be complacent," he argued. "Antrim have always played relatively well against Donegal probably because we tend to play a similar style of football, although Donegal have made it their own over the past year. We have nothing to lose. If we're beaten by the reigning Al-Ireland champions, there's no shame in that, and if we pull off a shock, we'll make headlines for a while." Meanwhile, Glenavy Chairman Joe O'Boyle will be a proud man when club colleague Hamill leads the Saffrons out on All-Ireland final day. "It's been quite a year for the club. We won the intermediate championship and now one of our players is captaining Antrim in an All-Ireland final. It will be a proud day for everyone in Glenavy when Ciaran leads the side, and even prouder if they win," he said. "And the fact that Emmet McCorry is also involved is a great honour for us as well. Emmet was unfortunate enough to get injured in the second match, but he will be back pressing for a place in the final. "Ciaran and Emmet both play in the half back line for Glenavy and they played a big part in getting us into Division One by winning the championship this season." And Joe takes great delight in the fact that this season Ciaran was named as Antrim Footballer of the Year and Emmet as Southwest Antrim Footballer of the Year. "It's certainly been a great season for the club. Everybody from Glenavy will be at the game supporting the local boys and the county. I think they can do it. It would be a great honour to bring back an All-Ireland title. "But I think the forwards are going to have to be on their game. They haven't been hitting the target often enough. That's the major problem," said Joe. Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 20th November 1992 Tweet

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